I Hate Systems

A figure donned in a spacesuit appeared before a world, his face full of hesitation as he stared at the denizens of the world.     

This was a cultivation world where the denizens depended upon magical tools to fight. Their bodies acted as batteries to unleash the powers of magical tools. And as time passed, the technology of the world continued to progress before it entered a technological era, one formed using the magical tools at the core.     

It was at this moment that the nature of the world began to shift. But surprisingly, as Spirit Energy was ambient in this world, it formed the primary condition of this world being part of the Cultivation Genre, despite its technological progress.     

Even though the world was gradually leaning towards a technological era, it had yet to become part of that entirely.     

And currently, the mysterious suited entity stared at the world, apprehensive, hesitant, and sporting distaste at what he was about to do.     

But at this moment, another figure appeared beside the suited individual, one wearing a monocle on his right, causing it to glint with light for an instant before vanishing.     

Mystique!     

"Are you going to do it?" Mystique stared at the suited individual with a calm, unconcerned gaze, "It would be the final straw that broke the camel's neck."     

"I'm being forced by the situation." The suited individual frowned, conflicted in his choice as he asked, "What do you think I should do, Mystique?"     

"I'm…just not sure about this. I don't want to be the one that caused Immortal's death."     

"I don't care, to be very frank with you." Mystique said as he extended his hand, "I'm only here for the item you obtained recently. It's something that escaped from one of my worlds when Zaira paid a visit, you see. There's too much danger in keeping it beyond my control."     

"Yeah, I almost forgot about that." The suited individual said as he took out an egg that resembled a liquid, fluid to the touch and one that recovered the egg shape despite being deformed while the suited individual threw it towards Mystique.     

"What is that though? I just feel that it's incomplete."     

"None of your business," Mystique said as he pocketed the egg before vanishing, "Oh yeah, the other guy wanted to inform you, Technocraft."     

"The Mystique that has allied with you will come out in two minutes."     

…     

Boom! Boom! Boom!     

Resounding explosions thundered across the breaking space as Zaira and Immortal continued to pummel each other, injuring each other equally.     

At this moment, Compass Carburettor rushed into the domain with the cracked space, barely dodging a shockwave that was strong enough to destroy them wholly.     

Immediately after, using Truck-Kun's support, the truck vanished and reappeared in a somewhat safer location where Compass Carburettor used his Spirit Morph on the shockwaves, converting them into Mental Fragments before storing them in his Dreamland.     

'What is this bastard doing now?' When Immortal's punch slammed into her face and twisted it, her eyes met with the truck that was going around in their fighting space as part of the shockwaves surrounding the truck were being absorbed into it.     

"Tch!" Zaira immediately commanded the Regression System, 'Stop Compass and kidnap Stencil and Gehera already.'     

"We need to get inside there." The Regression System said, trembling once before staring at the other Systems, "The Grade 2 Systems will remain at the border and prevent Slayer and Arnark from hindering our operation. The Grade 3 Systems would charge in with me."     

Upon seeing Magister and Mascot jump into the cracked spatial domain, expressing the intent to kill Stencil, the Regression System said in a hurry, "Tell-Tale, get to safety and target the two Genre Representatives…"     

Boom!     

Suddenly, a gigantic worm gushed out of the ground, its head shaped like an ant while its body too resembled it in terms of the carapace.     

On its shell were large sacks, compressed with something as faint steam sparked out from the joints in accordance with its movement.     

For a moment, the Systems were slow to react, having been unable to sense the worm's approach. After all, ever since Compass Carburettor created the group of ants that proliferated through the ground, their aura was everywhere.     

Therefore, the Systems weren't able to sense a group of the same ants transforming into Mental Energy to become the massive worm that jutted out of the ground. The action was taken right when Zaira's message reached the group of Systems, taking advantage of their momentary distraction.     

Boom!     

The large sacks exploded to release torrential mist that was so concentrated that it almost resembled water, turning the apocalyptic setting into a sea, trapping all the Systems.     

The mouth of the worm opened as a projectile formed in it, created using the majority of its Mental Fragments. These Mental Fragments were sourced from the body parts of all the Grade 2 Systems that the Secret Society members had consumed until now.     

The projectile slammed into the Tell-Tale System, sending it flying into the cracked zone, startling the Systems and even alerting Zaira.     

"Gah!" The Tell-Tale System screamed from the impact that caused it severe damage as suddenly, its neck was grabbed hold of by a gigantic hand that Compass Carburettor morphed his hand into.     

"Let…me…go!" The Tell-Tale System screamed as it struggled to break free of his hold, unleashing its abilities that were all deflected by Secret Society members that popped out suddenly to tank the attack.     

"You're here." Compass Carburettor spoke slowly as his eyes glared viciously, causing the Tell-Tale System's neck to burn up like acid was poured on it, making it scream and writhe around in pain.     

Part by part, the body portion around its neck collapsed into Mental Fragments before slowly flowing into Compass Carburettor. As it was one of the oldest Systems, its foundation was also the most stable, causing Spirit Morph to barely affect it.     

If not for the infinite supply of energy, even this wouldn't have been possible.     

"No!" Zaira hacked at Compass Carburettor to free the Tall-Tale System, screaming in anger upon seeing a shield form around him, tanking the attack. It was Immortal that had interfered with her actions.     

"Damn you…koff!" She turned around in anger to see Immortal take advantage of her worked-up state and punch her in the face, sending her flying in response.     

Swoosh!     

The Regression System didn't hold back any power and vanished, regressing through the timeline to instantly appear before Compass Carburettor. It tried to go into the past, but the level of the spatial crack was beyond what its power could affect, causing it to curse in response.     

'Is this why this bastard charged into this location to target Tell-Tale?'     

The fate of the Fantasy World was deep in the first place, making it very hard for it to affect its timeline. But now, in the location where Immortal and Zaira fought, each of their punches created a strong imprint on the cause and effect of this universe.     

And, due to the level of beings they were, their actions couldn't be regressed. After all, the Regression System wasn't strong enough to affect them.     

Hence, the Regression System couldn't undo Compass Carburettor's actions, only able to flash before him in an effort to free the Tell-Tale System.     

"Truck-Kun!" In response, Compass Carburettor shouted before pulling the Tell-Tale System away while erecting multiple walls between them and the Regression System, buying enough time for Truck-Kun to teleport away.     

The Regression System broke through the walls before one of the shockwaves grazed past its body, causing a deep injury, 'Damn, even the mere shockwaves are strong enough to shred me.'     

When even the Regression System was this apprehensive about the shockwaves, Compass Carburettor was nothing before it. But this was precisely why he had to enter this zone, because here, the enemies didn't have much advantage over him.     

He was small while they were big. Hence, he had better means to evade. Moreover, the effect of the apocalyptic setting was barely holding up here, ensuring he wouldn't get tired much.     

"A shockwave will crash…" The Tell-Tale System activated its Core Skill to attack him when suddenly, it screamed in pain when lightning flickered through its throat, causing its Core Skill activation to fail midway.     

Spirit Morph!     

The power targeted the residual effects of Tell-Tale System's Core Skill, turning them into Mental Fragments to absorb them. Moreover, as the Tell-Tale System was unable to break free of his hold, Compass Carburettor took the chance to allow Gehera to make contact with it.     

Ruin of Amagoth!     

She wasn't trying to actively steal power from it as she had done from the Regression System. She didn't recover enough to do that yet. She was only passively stealing from the Tell-Tale System, in the same manner she had done for a year from Slayer.     

This process was tremendously slow, but also consumed way less power, considering how Gehera was able to maintain it for a year without letting up.     

'As long as we steal enough of its power, I'll be able to create a solution for Stencil.' Compass Carburettor thought, 'The power of Tell-Tale first, and then…'     

His eyes trailed across the apocalyptic setting, staring at Arnark for a moment before grabbing hold of the virus-cell that was in the Tell-Tale System's possession, 'the power of Lore.'     

'With those two powers combined, I can save my daughter.'